i think the negative connotation associated with "dive bar" may be misleading. personally, i love a good dive bar, more than a "yuppie" bar that is serving 8 dollar Buds. the bellevue in NYC on 9th ave comes to mind, which is a fav of tony bourdain if i recall. it's dark, dank, and i'm not sure how clean the mugs are. but it has a great crowd usually, and some of the most interesting folks in the world. much interesting than the people you'd meet at Heartland Brewery for example. would i take my mom there? probably not. i suppose that's a good barometer of sorts: if i like it a lot, but i wouldn't take my mom there, it's probably considered a "dive." otherwise, you'd be hard-pressed to find a bar so seedy that i'd feel uncomfortable enough to leave. hell, look at the way i dress.